Cantilever shiftable switch blade



Get. 16, 1951 A, MlLLER 2,571,468

CANTILEVER SHIF'TABLE SWITCH BLADE Filed Oct. 22, 1947 Patented Oct. 16,1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CANTILEVER SHIF'IABLE SWITCH BLADEEdwin August Miller, Fairfield, Conn. Application October 22, 1947,Serial No. 781,333

4 Claims. (01. 20067) This invention relates to cantilever switch bladesand more particularly to a longitudinally movable switch bladeincreasing a normal length of opening therethrough for operation thereinof a movable part.

The objects of the invention are to provide a self-adjustablelongitudinal movement of a switch blade thereby regulating the degree ofthe blades distortion, the release of which determines its snap-actionbetween fixed stops; to provide for such a switch blade a resilientsupport permitting tolerance in blade longitudinal movement; and toprovide such switch blade with a link-extended compression member theoperation of which forces blade longitudinal movement.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the Figure 1 is a plan View ofthe improved switch blade; Figure 2 is a side elevation of said switchblade; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a slightly modified device;Figure 4 is a side elevation of a partially operated device; and Figure5 is a side elevation of a fully operated device.

With more particular reference to the accompanying drawing, the numeralI designates the body frame of the blade. The longitudinal opening 2,within the body frame I, extends substantially the length thereof. Afixed base support 3 extends through, and intersects said opening 2intermediate thereof. Supported by the base 3 is one end of a loopedspring 4 of which the opposite end is carried at one end of the opening2 of the body fram I and depending therefrom, the free extremity of thebody frame I, as at 5 having an oscillating movement between fixed stops6 and I, said free extremity 5 being provided, as illustrated by theFigure 2, with upper and lower contacts 8 and 9. The compression arm IIIhas an end II secured to said base 3, the free extremity I2 of the arm Ihaving a hinged connection with a rigid link I4 of which the oppositelink end is hinged to the body frame I within the opening 2 at the freeend thereof. While the compression arm is illustrated as integral withthe looped spring 4 they may be separate parts as set forth above.Actuator I5 has an end I5A engaged upon an upper surface of thecompression arm III, as illustrated by the Figure 2, in readiness for apressed operation of the arm III.

In use, the operation of the device, as illustrated by the Figures 1 and2, manual or other pressure is applied to the actuator I5 to force thelink-extended compression arm III to approximately the positionillustrated by the Figure 4 to within the plane of the body frame I, the

contact 9 still being in engagement with the stop 'I. With a slightfurther pressure of the actuator I5, the link-extended compression armI0 is released from its centered position with respect to the body frameI and, with a snap-action, suddenly assumes the approximate positionillustrated by the Figure 5 in which the body frame I, having beenreleased from its distorted condition, has been moved into engagementwith the stop 6.

It is to be noted that, as illustrated by the Figure 2, the normalopening 2 available for operation therethrough of the link-extendedcompression arm III, is limited in'movement between the dotted lines I 6and I 1. Upon the partial operation of the device to the positionillustrated by the Figure 4 the opening 2 is increased to between thedotted lines I6 and I8, the normal opening 2 being restored upon thefull operation of the device to within the dotted lines I6 and II asillustrated by the Figure 5.

The said normal opening 2 is subject to such increase or decreaseaccording to the degree of shifting movement provided by the structureof the device. In any event, any increase of the normal opening 2 mustbe short of that which would permit the link-extended arm II) to passthrough the increased opening 2 without distorting the body frame I.

The Figure 3 illustrates a slight modification of the device, suchmodification not changing the operation of the compression arm II! withits extension I4 through the increased opening 2, as already explainedwith respect to the preferred form. In the modified form, upper andlower contacts 8A and 9A are carried by the free extremity of thecompression arm I 0 instead of being carried upon the free end of thebody frame I, as at 8 and 9, the contacts 8A and 9A being movablebetween the fixed stops 6A and IA. Stops I9 and 253 limit theoscillation of the free extremity 5 of the body frame I, and stops 2Iand 22 limit movement of opposite end.

While the stops 6, I, 6A, IA, I9 and 20 are shown and described as beingfixed, they, or any of them, may be yielding, if desired.

If a maintained type of operation of the device, as preferred ormodified, is desired in both extreme positions of the movable parts ofthe device, the actuator I5 may include means (not illustrated) foroperation thereof, manually or otherwise, at both ends thereof.

I claim:

1. A snap switch comprising a casing having a support and a switchblade, said blade having two oscillating members of which one member issecurely mounted upon said support and the other member is providedalong its length with an opening therethrough; contacts with which theforward end of said other member is provided; a spring having one endsecured to and bodily located at the rear of said support said springconnecting one end of each of said members and providing for the membernot securely mounted a limited floating and longitudinal movementagainst a forced compression of said spring; a pair of stops adjacenteach end of the unsecurely mountedmember limiting oscillating movementthereof; a tiltable rigid link extendingly hinged to the free end of thesecurely mounted member and to the forward end of the said other memberat said opening, the normal forwardly position of said other member notbeing sufficient to allow the extendingly hinged member to pass intosaid opening during the normal tilted position of said link untilmanually forced therethrough and thereby changing the position of saidother member longitudinally forward against the pressure of said spring;and means for manually moving said extendingly hinged member whereby thefree extremities of both members are oscillated in opposite directionswith a snap action to engage one of said contacts with one of saidstops.

2. A switch blade associated with a support and providing a bodilyfloating oscillating member with an opening therethrough and having alongitudinal movement relative to said support; a contact carried by theopposite surfaces at the forward end of said member and movabletherewith between fixed stops; a compression arm having an intermediateportion thereof secured to said support and a free portion extendingforwardly, the portion of said arm at the rear of said support providinga looped spring dependingly supporting the rear end of said oscillatingmember; a bodily tiltable rigid link having at one end a hingedconnection with said free portion of the compression arm, said link atits other end having a hinged connection with said forward end of saidoscillating member within said opening; and an actuator by which thecompression arm is manually moved into the plane of said opening andsaid oscillating memberlongitudinally shifted against the pressure ofsaid spring and upon the further movement of said actuator thecompression arm is thrown snap-actingly below said plane and the freeextremities of said member and said compression arm are moved inopposite directions whereby one of said contacts is engaged with one ofsaid stops, the release of said actuator restoring said member and saidarm to normal positions.

3. A switch blade associated with a support and providing a floatingoscillating member with a longitudinal movement relative to saidsupport, said member having an opening therethrough; a

contact carried by opposite surfaces at the forward end of said memberand movable therewith between fixed stops; a compression arm secured tosaid support and having a free end extending forwardly; spring meanshaving an end fixed to said support and the other end supporting therear end of said oscillating member, said spring mean being bodilylocated at the rear of said support; a bodily tiltable rigid link havingone end hinged to said free end of the compression arm, the said link atthe other end having a hinged connection within said opening at theforward end of said oscillating member; and an actuator by which theforward end of the compression arm may be moved manually within saidopening of the oscillating member which is thereby longitudinallyshifted against the pressure of said spring means, said compression armis thrown below the plane of the oscillating member when the actuator isdepressed to cause one of the contact to snap into engagement with oneof said stops.

4. A switch blade associated with a support and providing a floatingoscillating member with a longitudinal movement relative to saidsupport, said member having an opening therethrough; a contact carriedby opposite surfaces at the forward end of said member and movabletherewith between fixed stops; other fixed stops adjacent the oppositeend of said member whereby said member is given a limited oscillatedmovement therebetween; a compression arm secured to said support andhaving a free end extending 'for wardly; spring means having an endfixed to said support and the other end supporting the rear end of saidoscillating member, said spring means being bodily located at the rearof said support; a bodily tiltable link having one end hinged to saidfree end of the compression arm, said link at the other end having ahinged connection within said opening at said forward end of theoscillating member; and an actuator by which the forward end of thecompression arm may be moved manually within said opening of theoscillating member which is thereby longitudinally shifted against thepressure of said spring and oscillated at both ends.

EDWIN AUGUST MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,959,205 Hanel May 15, 19342,135,864 Weber Nov. 8, 1938 2,387,089 Peterson et al. Oct. 16, 19452,417,652 Kunzler Mar. 18, 1947

